Press Release

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Formed nearly 30 years ago, the
Bottle Rockets helped forge a now-popular subgenre—small-town, middle-class,
Midwest American roots rock—part right-to-the-gut poetry, part rock ‘n’ roll,
all truth. Bit Logic is a different sort of album for
the St. Louis natives and shows them at their most self-aware,
self-challenging, and socially alert.

Recorded in St. Louis at Sawhorse
Studios, engineered by Mario Viele and produced by longtime studio
collaborator Eric “Roscoe” Ambel (The Del-Lords, Steve Earle), the Bottle
Rockets’ 13th album has them looking at their unique stylistic blend through a
different lens. While one of the group's earmarks is constructing blue-collar
anthems, Bit Logic has the quartet focusing outside
themselves, at how change and adaptation affects the bigger picture.

Amy Helm's This Too Shall Light, due September 21st on Yep Roc Records, comprises 10 songs
produced by Grammy-winning producer and songwriter Joe Henry. Helm left her
home and comfort zone of Woodstock, NY, choosing to record in Los Angeles
within the confines of just a four-day window. The musicians were directed not
to overthink the songs, and Helm herself barely performed any of the selections
while leading up to the recording. As a result, the sessions forced fast
musical trust among the collaborators and yielded the vibrant instrumental
improvisations heard throughout This Too Shall Light.

“This music is about motherhood,” Alela Diane says of her highly anticipated fifth
album Cusp. “Even just by saying that, it feels like people will write
you off. It’s like you’ve suddenly lost the charm of being youthful and even
attainable––you’ve been commoditized as available. There is not a big place in
the music industry for 30-something women with kids making music.” She laughs
as she pauses, then adds, “Maybe we can create that space.”

If anyone can carve out needed new territory, it’s Alela. Cusp may
be a thematic departure for the Portland, Oregon-based artist, but the
Argus-eyed writing and clear voice that have long-since wowed Pitchfork,
NME, Paste, and other early adopters throughout Europe and
elsewhere have never been stronger.

John R Miller grew up in Hedgesville, a small town in the eastern panhandle
of West Virginia where the mountains meet Interstate 81. A co-founding member
of hard-traveling bands Prison Book Club and The Fox Hunt, and crafting a
unique-and-familiar blend of country blues & folk, he has performed music
in nearly all 50 states, Canada, Ireland, the UK, Japan, and much of Europe. He
has twice appeared on NPR's Mountain Stage with The Fox Hunt. He has also been
a featured songwriter and performer on the Travelin' Appalachians Revue. John
can often be found performing solo, alongside fiddle player Chloe Edmonstone,
or with his band The Engine Lights. New album The Trouble You Follow is
available now via Emperor
Records.

After years of busking around the U.S and
making a name for himself, Hubby Jenkins became acquainted with the Carolina Chocolate
Drops. From 2010 to 2014 he was an integral part of that Grammy award
winning band. Since 2015, he is an active touring and
recording member of the Rhiannon Giddens band. He was on her album “Tomorrow Is
My Turn” in 2015 and in 2017 “Freedom Highway.”And around these projects Hubby continues to make solo performances.